Money Monday: Summer deals with RetailMeNot

Sara Skirboll of RetailMeNot shares tips for finding the best summer deals!

1. Apparel & Swimsuits: 34%

As a rule of thumb, retailers tend to discount clothing about two months after it hits the stores and if you think back, you’ll remember that summer dresses and bathing suits made their debut in May, which means now is the best time to find excellent deals in both categories, upwards of 34% off. This will most likely be the strongest time of the year to pick up swimwear, in particular, as deals won’t be this good again until the cold weather months. Internal data shows the best week of the month will be this week.

Deals:

Macy’s: $10 cashback on online purchase of $50 or more

Neiman Marcus: Up to 70% off

2. Grilling & Outdoor: 25%

July is one of the strongest months of the year for discounts in the grilling and outdoor category. New models normally are released in August which means retailers need to clear inventory to make room for newer options. The best way to make room for new inventory is to discount the older inventory. Last year, we saw deals close to 25% off and up! Take advantage of the sales at places like Target and Sears.

Deals:

Sears: $20 off $150 in-store or online

Overstock: Up to 70% off, plus free shipping on orders over $45

3. Electronics: 29%

Another category to investigate is electronics. Normally, I recommend waiting until Black Friday, but that won’t work for kids who may need a laptop or tablet at the start of the school year. According to our research, we find that historical deals hover around the 29% off mark on electronics in July. And, remember to take advantage of student discounts at retailers to save even more money!

Deals:

Best Buy: $5 cash back is given when purchase of over $30 is made from the weekly ad on RMN app

HP: up to 25% off select laptops

4. Early Back to School: 24%:

If you’re planning a huge back to school shopping haul, I recommend waiting until your state offers tax free weekend, but if you’re looking to get a head start, there are a few necessities that you can find in July at great prices. For instance, last year, we saw back to school sales start sneaking into stores early, particularly on backpacks and even apparel, anywhere between 24% and 30% off. Major retailers will begin targeting college students first on items like sheets and storage solutions and then apparel deals will start firing up at the end of the month. One other tip, if you’re shopping for a younger child who is dead-set on movie/tv themed items like Frozen, Star Wars or Finding Dori, swoop those up sooner rather than later for the sheer fact that they may sell out faster.